Mac Security: Antivirus!!!!!

In 1982, the Elk Cloner virus spread among Apple IIs by copying itself to floppy disks' boot sectors. Elk Cloner didn't do any actual damage (the 50th time an infected machine was booted, a poem would appear on its screen), but it certainly perplexed many 1982 computer users, who had never experienced a computer virus before.

Twenty-four years after Elk Cloner, Leap-A emerged. Disguised as an image file, Leap-A modified files on an infected Mac and, when iChat was opened, would send infected files to the victim's iChat buddies.

Many people thought at the time that Leap-A signaled the end of OS X's bug-free idyll. But Leap-A managed to infect a grand total of 49 Macs, and in the two years since, the Mac virus floodgates have yet to open: A few proof-of-concept viruses have cropped up, but almost none have been observed in the wild. Question is, why?

Security expert Bruce Schneier credits the Mac's small market share: "If you're looking for the masses of naive users, Windows is where to go," he says. Adam O'Donnell, director of emerging technologies at Cloudmark, agrees. He's applied game theory to the question and concluded that producing Mac malware won't be economically viable until the Mac's market share hits 16 percent (it's now under 9 percent). O'Donnell says, "There is no economic benefit to investing the time in compromising a Mac when you can compromise 10 to 20 times more systems for the same level of effort by going after PCs."

But that doesn't mean you should keep your guard down entirely. Running Windows on an Intel-based Mac-in either Boot Camp or with virtualization software such as Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion-exposes you to the same security risks as if you were running it on a Dell. And while your Mac might not suffer any ill effects from virus-laden e-mail attachments, you could pass those dangerous files to your Windows-using friends.

Basic antivirus and antispyware protection for Windows available to download for free. Limited features, no support, for private and non-commercial use only.

AVG Free Edition is the well-known antivirus protection tool. AVG Free is available free of charge to home users for the life of the product. Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers. AVG Free is easy to use and will not slow your system down (low system resource requirements). Highlights include automatic update functionality, the AVG Resident Shield, which provides real-time protection as files are opened and programs are run, free virus database updates for the lifetime of the product; and AVG Virus Vault for safe handling of infected files. Version 8.0 includes improved virus detection based on better heuristics and NTFS data stream scanning, smaller installation and update files, and an improved user interface. The newest version is also compatible with Windows Vista.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is only available for single computer use for home and non commercial use.

More information about AVG antivirus software

AVG Free provides you with basic antivirus and antispyware protection for Windows and is available to download for free.

· The most downloaded software on CNET's Download.com

· Protection against viruses and spyware (antivirus and antispyware)

· Fast, effective security that is kind on resources

· Compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista

Why you need complete Internet security

Protection against viruses is essential for your PC and your personal data. But today's attackers are familiar with the standard protection and are now trying new techniques to distribute malware. Online criminals can potentially take control of any webpage and infiltrate your computer - to steal credit card numbers or to perform other criminal activities.

We recommend you choose the enhanced protection of AVG Internet Security

· Easy to download, install and use

· Protection against all Internet threats, not just viruses

· Virus, spyware and rootkit protection - all-in-one

· Hacker attacks prevention

· Safe web surfing, downloading and instant messaging

· Phishing and e-mail scam blocking

· Free technical support

All-in-one protection

· Anti-Virus: protection against viruses, worms and trojans

· Anti-Spyware: protection against spyware, adware and identity-theft

· Anti-Rootkit: protection against hidden threats that deliver malicious content

· Anti-Spam: catches e-mail threats including phishing, fraud and spam

· Firewall: stops hackers and viruses spread over the internet

· Safe Downloads: protection against malicious websites

· Safe Instant Messaging: protects your ICQ and MSN communication

· Safe Search: safely click search results

· Safe Surf: real-time protection from poisoned web pages

· System Tools: for easy system management

· Technical Support: free support and service around the clock and across the globe

Easy-to-use, automated protection

Real-time protection, automatic updates, low-impact background scanning for online threats, and instant quarantining or removal of infected files ensures maximum protection. Every interaction between your computer and the Internet is monitored, so nothing can get onto your system without your knowledge. AVG scans in real time:

· All files including documents, pictures and applications

· E-mails (all major email programs like MS Outlook and Thunderbird supported)

· Instant messaging and P2P communications

· File downloads and online transactions such as shopping and banking

· Search results and any other links you click on

Internet security with peace of mind

The new web shield checks every web page at the moment you click on the link to ensure you're not hit by a stealthy drive-by download or any other exploits. All links on search results pages in Google, Yahoo, and MSN are analyzed and their current threat level is reported in real time before you click on the link and visit the site.

No hidden costs

When you purchase an AVG product, everything you need is included in the price for the full license duration - technical support, virus updates, and new program versions. All users of paid AVG products also qualify for generous discounts on subscription renewals and product upgrades.